Do you always finish a book you start reading?

[Staciewantstoreadmore]

No, I used to make myself finish books, but notice my joy in reading decreases if I try to force it. Now I try to read about 30% and then reshelve if I am not into it. There are so many books and I want to spend my time reading what I like!

[Peggy]

I never used to. Then I read “Eat, Pray, Love.” It’s the last book I forced myself thru. I just wanted to know why people thought this book was so great. Now if a book just isn’t singing to me by say the first 100 pages, I may shelve it and possibly come back to it. Or I might just decide it’s not worth it. It does take a lot to abandon a book though.

[Lewis]

Peggy wrote: "I never used to. Then I read “Eat, Pray, Love.” It’s the last book I forced myself thru. I just wanted to know why people thought this book was so great. Now if a book just isn’t singing to me by s..."

Why continue to read a book that doesn't grab you?

[Linda]

Just different styles. I admire people who can read 50 pages and then give up but that's not me.

I start, I finish. I think my abandoned shelf has maybe a dozen books on it so it make that shelf, I found nothing worthwile in there at all. It usually takes me 50 pages to feel invested in the characters and I usually find something positive in every book.

[Christina]

I just can’t do it. I DNF a lot. I did the math. I’m 52 and have only so many years of life left and there are too many books I want to read! 😂😂😂

[Peggy]

So true!

[Peggy]

Sometimes a book might not work for you now but might later. That’s why I may give one a 2nd chance later.

[Christina]

Good idea, Peggy! I know there are times when I’m not in the mood for a specific genre so I choose another. It could be that I picked that book at the wrong time? I’ll keep that in mind next time.

[Wayne]

No. Should I find the book uninteresting. I close it and don't pick it up again.

[Brigid]

It took me years to become comfortable with it, but these days I don't finish a book if I don't like it. Well...for the most part. I'm currently slogging through the last 4th of a nonfiction book solely because I have logged so many hours listening to the audiobook. I enjoyed the first half, but it's dragging on now.

[Tazzaroo]

I give just about any book 50 pages of my time. I then decide to fish or not.

[Craig]

I will almost always finish a book, unless it becomes clear that the author has not done their homeowork before starting to write. I've started books that placed a historic landmark or occurrence in the wrong city or a military book that identified a unit as the 101st Mountain Division (instead of Airborne). If I hit that type of disconnect that screams the author didn't put time into their work, then I figure, why should I? The good news is that is extremely rare.

[Lanna]

Personally I will always prefer to finish every book I pick up even if I don't like it this is why I take the time to select every book I choose or find authors who are similar to the ones I like.

But I admit I have yet to finish a few books in the past. It still bugs me sometimes, but oh well.

[Janet Cerrato]

I always finish a book I start. Hopefully I will find something special in the end that made the read worth reading through.

[Tiziana]

My answer is no.
I usually leave the book after 25 % if I don't like the story or the main character or the writing style.
There are so many books I want to read and spending time to read something I don't like it's a waste of precious time

[Nicholas LaMarca]

I do, one book (The Egyptologist) took me 3 tries but I pulled it off eventually.

[Maggie]

99% of the time I do finish a book I start reading. But I'm particular about the books I do start.

[Leona]

If I win a book, I will finish.

[Kathleen]

No, I will read through the 3rd chapter and if the book is not interesting, I will then read the last chapter and set it aside. There are too many books on my to-read list to spend time reading one I don't enjoy.

[Janice]

No, I will set aside. I may pick up at a later date. Sometimes you aren't receptive to a book. If I don't like the writing, I will abandon. Agree with all those who say there are too many good books to spend time on one you aren't engaged in.

[Michael Dean]

A great question. The only time I usually fail to complete a book, is if it is an anthology or the author engaged in unethical deceptions in the account. There was one where a Chinese fleet supposedly entered the Mediterranean via the Red Sea channel via the Nile. Yes, there was such a thing, but Egypt was tightly controlled, and no way. I rated it one star because that was the lowest rating. While there were some interesting facts, such as the canal linking the Red Sea with the Nile, and lots of fascinating details on historical-Chinese navigation methods, the deliberate deceptions were insulting to the reader. so, bye bye to that and the earlier one as well.
The NYTimes failed to catch this and raved about it, but historians caught the lies.

[Rebecca]

Sadly, I have to admit I almost always do. I guess that’s because I always think to myself it has to get better or that the resolution isn’t going to be as obvious as I think. Almost always, I’m disappointed.

[Scarlett]

I've started giving myself more grace in this. If I really don't like it, I give it 5-10 chapters and the get rid of it.